Don't PH33R Da Reaper!
by Super Hurricane
Summary: Year 200X, Player Killing is allowed for the period of 1 year. But for a certain soldier of justice, good luck rains down as a scorching player killer killer comes down to even the playing field. Things are about to get more interesting in Maplestory.....
1. Chapter 1

_January 2, 200X_

_To All MapleStory Participants-_

_Congratuations! You have received a new patch for a upgrade to your character. This is because of our new event that is coming up, Da Reaper Saga. With this patch downloaded, you now have the ability to 'kill' other players in your area with the weapons that you have. Although the patch is temporary, PKing being hazardous to new comers, we want you to test it out whenever you can. There are two special rules with this: 1. PKing can't occur in towns. 2. You can't lose experience or items when PKed, but you do have to have 50 HP as a result of respawning._

_The purpose of this is a contest of survival. One of you will receive the power to Player Kill Kill, and will be sent unknowingly against other combatants all over MapleStory. Those PKKed by this player will lose both their PKing ability, but also half of their mesos. The one or 'ones' that are left after the period of one year will be rewarded with a rather large sum of mesos and free items from the Cash Shop. As such, we will be monitoring your progress to see if you are cheating at all. Remember, go with the Maple Flow!_

_-Wizet Corporation_

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May 3, 200X

Pain. That was what those guys were in for. It was obvious what they were doing, they were staking the place for themselves. The jerks. There were two of them, warriors, with big nasty swords and armor. But lacked an important factor: the helmet.

Flit! "Owwwww-" One down, had to use some mana for that Arrow Blow. The other one is looking for me, but I'm too well-hidden. I-

"You do realize I can see your name underneath the bush." Crud. Forgot that part. Well, the good news is that he's running right at me. Bad news is that my arrows are jammed. What a time to reload, eh? Luckily, I have other ways of hurting him as my bow shifted into a spear in which I ducked over his sword swing and then jabbed right into him. Several times in fact, dumb goof must be having problems with his keyboard. Then, shifting to wooden mallet, dealt the final blow and knocking him to 0 HP. The gravestone fell down and I wondered why he was giving me that scowl.

I returned the scowl with my blank look, as if he was not even a threat despite him being maybe 5 levels above me. I made sure to defame him as well before I PKed him, adding insult to injury. After all, he and his buddy had been killing a lot of people around the Henesys training area, mainly as soon as they exit the warp portal. I made sure to take a cab and go the 'other' way to sneak up on them.

I, Drode of Henesys, am but a normal Level 16 Archer with a high amount of DEX. The kind of DEX that says, "You can't hit me but I can hit you" sort of thing, which is mainly why even if that warrior could have moved, chances are that I would avoid it. I don't like walk-throughs or guides, but I do understand that if I don't have a good amount of health, I won't last long like those muscleheads who basically put all their points in STR and nothing else. Not that I have anything against Warriors, it's just the PKing in general.

Four months ago or later before that, I got the power to kill other players. But I chose not to abuse it. Still, once in a while, I pick off those who get too cocky and take control of my hunting grounds. I suppose later on, I'll have to thank Blood Raine for giving me a Composite Bow. So far, I've been real careful with the money I make, so getting arrows is easy enough to cut down those who hurt others.

The only thing that I don't get is why I haven't heard or seen any rumors of that mysterious PKKer that this event is made for. I mean, the PK part is okay, but I only have 7 more months before this guy hunts me down and 'kills' my ability to PK those jerks. Not to mention take half of the savings that Blood Raine gave me, now that really worries me. And yes, I have no one to back me up, since I'm a person who doesn't like parties or guilds. After all, why split it up when you can take the whole cake?

As I went into the portal, I sighed a breath of relief as I checked over my inventory. Good, room for some new items and arrows. Despite the hacker increase, I found ways of keeping my items close to me since I am a collector of beginner weapons. Well, not all beginner weapons, but those that hurt and butcher. I'm a rather big fan of the Double-Sided Ax, cuts through mushrooms rather well. As well as PKers. When I make enough money, I go from town to town, buying different weapons even though they don't suit my character and then put them in the Free Market containment areas for later. Then I can sell them to other guys at 1.5 times the original price and make a killing as a result. Some of the money I get goes into my arrow supply, the rest into getting new armor and weapons.

Anyways, it is usually a hazard with the green mushrooms, since I was climbing back down the rope from the second training area. So I had to jump 4 stories down and took some damage that would have killed anyone else who had not even bothered to raise their HP by 1 point. Some PKers were thrashing with each other from 'friendly fire', seeing they were snail-hunting and ended up attacking each other. I wasn't going to get involved, so I went into the next portal over. Those two might have respawned by now and regained their health, so high-tailing it was the best solution.

Over grassy plains and rocky meadows, I sprinted using my Nimble Feet skill to get moving and shoot down any monsters in my path. I could already see the dialogue from those idiots going back and forth, as I put their names on my 'buddy list' to listen in. Apparently they were angry and called up a lot of big, husky warriors with the same amount of HP that they do, and were sending them after me. Quite frankly, I was in trouble, but now my arrows had been reloaded in the quiver.

Bounding over a Orange Mushroom, I strafed behind me to launch a new arrow assault on a Warrior with Skull Hat and a red whip of some kind. Did he really think I would be stupid enough not to recharge my Mana by now? I dropped him like a ton of bricks with a Double Arrow Volley, using my Focus to increase my DEX even higher for maximum efficient killing. "Yeah! And stay dead, you jerk! Serves you right for attacking someone who hadn't got past Level 20." I snarled, and then continued through the next portal.

Which awaited me at the top was a red smoke cloud that vertically shot past my head, then vanished off-screen. It looked sort of like a comet, even though I was somewhat doubtful of that since the game never had comets of doom raining from the sky.

"get hm" A new warrior appeared in the portal as I was looking at the cloud's path, hitting me with a powerful saber attack that nearly cut my HP by 3/16s. So I returned the favor with my long sword and then my Double Ax, taking a bit more damage but succeeded in 'killing' him. Whoever these guys are, they were getting on my nerves so I took a few red potions and gulped them down. Lifh Harbor was basically a safe house for those who wanted to stay alive. So after a bit of chopping apart snails and slimes, I made my way to the portal below, bypassing some Sins and Assassins who wanted nothing to do with me. For some reason, they were in a big rush to get away from the portal.

Arriving in the next room, my jaw dropped from the new graphics that was around the area. The red plume of smoke landed in the middle of the area, which appeared to have broken through the platforms and ledges at a 135 degree angle. Apparently when I fought that warrior, that comet hit the place with the impact of a firebomb. And I do mean fire, as the grass around the area was burning and red scorch marks under laid over the soil parts. Half a slime was bouncing around where a ledge once stood, green pus oozing out the severed side, in which I put it out of it's misery.

What worried me the most was the crater that distorted the graphics and cut the sound. I liked that song very much, and the silence was making me nervous as I inched forward.

"hay u! sty awy!" yelled a ghost near the impact site. There were about 6 of them, each having the guild name "OverBearsOfWar", a name that I recall from Henesys's rumor mills. Apparently they were a group of Hermits that gained PKing power, then used their invisibility to deal powerful damage to other players in order to obtain unique items dropped in Henesys. Like my Wooden Sword that I was unable to find in other shops, as it was dropped by a Blue Snail.

I ignored their pleas to leave, walking closer and closer towards the crater. And alo and behold, I came face-to-back with a monster that should not even be around in Henesys territory. With brown fur, a striped fluffy tail, round bear-like ears, and a leaf on it's forehead, it was a menace to anyone below Level 30: The Flaming Raccoon. Let's face it, anything that had 1,200 HP was not worth fighting until I had a really powerful Bow.

That was when it turned to look right at me, and I knew things were never going to be the same again.

"Hello. Do you know where I am? Or who I am?"


	2. Flames of the Fallen

Ch 2-Flaming Winds of Change

"Excuse me?" I asked, somewhat in shock as the Flaming Raccoon actually spoke to me. What was basically insane since monsters can't talk, save for bosses and such. I was half expecting for it to attack and maul me, but it looked a bit confused and dazed. I know this because it's eyes were spiraling, a classic anime expression that it was out of it.

"I said, where am I? Who am I? Who are you?" The creature said, now pacing in confusion. I really had no idea what it was talking about, but was relieved to know that it knew the principles of grammar. With PKing available, other players used their weapons on those who spoke like chat room fanatics in order to shut them up. Sad to say, a lot of channels have lost many good people these past five months.

"Well…you are in the 3rd area after Lith Harbor, I don't see a name "tag" so I'm not sure of who you are, and my name is 'Drode'. Are you a new monster of some sort?" I really wish I hadn't said that, as her eyes glowed red. Then the raccoon vanished in a flash of light, then reappeared to deliver a crippling punch? I question this myself because punching isn't something that you can just do, even assassins just scratch monsters with their claws. Anyways, in that single punch, I lost over 400 HP.

"Never, ever, call me a monster up to my face. I may not know who I am, but I know I am as human as you are." It roared, ready to kick me into next week.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Please, it's just that you look a bit different than most people I know." I said, backing up and trying to get into my white potions. I was ready to fight back, now that the creature remarked of being human. My Composite Bow was now in place to rapid-fire should she attack again. I had only a 30 of knocking her back far enough for a full-out barrage, but that's when she said something that startled me.

"You're an Archer?" Her wrath was cut short as soon as she saw my Bow. I tend to get that a lot from other players, they tend to think Bowmen are restricted to Bows and nothing else. Luckily for them that I prefer not to kill those who are ignorant of that simple fact. Amd the fact that since I'm a collector of weapons, I drop things that I don't need to complete quests.

"Um, yea. Can't you tell by my clothes?" I said, wishing they had installed a sweatdrop emotion. Not that I do emotions.

"Actually, I though you were an army warrior." That comment would have caused me to fall over if it wasn't possible. She must be referring to my green hat that looks like a army helmet. I just wear it because it makes me look more bish. Anyways, High DEX prevents me from falling over, which savedd me from embrassment. Anyways, I took a swig of white potion, but I knew those bozos were getting closer. Mind you once more, I have nothing against Warriors, I just get sick of the way some people with crooked attitudes use summoning bags and get extremely powerful weapons that we Archers cannot obtain. As well as the constant PKing on people lower than Level 20 in training areas.

"Well, I have friends in high places. Anyways, we can't stay here. We have to get to the harbor now!" I quickly ran past her, jumping over the crater and on non-deterred graphics of the ground.

She didn't move, in fact, she had an odd puzzled look on her face that made me stop. "Why? What's going on?"

The sound of new people popping in came up, as over 12 heavily armored Warriors with Square Hammers, Cluttys, Sabres, Niams, and weapons I've never seen before. These are the kind of people who dump most of their points into Strength and then have others buy the weapons for them. I know, it is basically next to impossible to reach Perion as an Archer without dying on every level.

"That's what's going on. So unless you can fight all those guys, let's run before they-" I was cut off when one of the warriors used Nimble Feet to increase their speed and then sliced me hard with a Sabre, then used Panic to rapidly cut me. I jumped, but he followed with a uppercut slash.

My health was dropping, and I prepared myself for the worst. This wasn't my first PK by another person, and it wasn't going to be my last. The monster looked oddly at me taking the blows, her eyes tearing up.

"Leave him alone!" She cried, using some form of Nimble Feet as her speed actually blazed a trail of fire on the grass, nailing the guy with a powerful punch that actually PKed him.

His ghost cursed us as the tombstone fell down, and two warriors with Niams struck down at the monster yelling "die frak!" The hits knocked her back a bit, and for the first time I became scared as her eyes turned an evil crimson red. The other 8 warriors rushed at us as well, including the two that I defeated in battle.

FWOOOSHH! The fire on her back erupted into an inferno as she opened her mouth and spewed out a flamethrower. The other warriors screamed obscurities as they were consumed in the unnatural flames, their HP dropping dramatically. Others used shield skills to take the hit, then rushed towards her awhile she poured it on.

"Oh no, you don't! Arrow Blow Barrage!" I yelled, firing off arrow after arrow after arrow at them, each one impacting with astounding force as I took both a strength and dexterity potion for higher results. Never hurts to be prepared after all. A few dropped then, swearing at the top of their voices as the flames torched the rest of their HP.

"jebus what r u?" One of the lackeys who stayed back asked, as I took a swig of my Mana Elixir to refuel my mana. It pays to hunt down green mushrooms.

"Her or me? Because in the end, we are the ones who kicked your sorry butts." With that said, I went up a level since I also killed a few pigs awhile shooting the Warriors. Adding the 2 skill points to my Critical Shot and one into my Arrow Blow, I rapidly plummeled him into oblivion, in which the monster followed up with a powerful claw slash.

"That was weird…" The Flaming Raccoon said, then slumped over in a daze. I don't think I've seen that position on a monster before, with the swirling eyes and all. Anyways, I couldn't just leave her alone (I was fairly certain it was a girl by now), so I went over to rubbed her a bit, since it was in my CPR handbook.

"Hey! Hey! Are you okay?" I asked, trying to get her back on her feet. Doing so, I dropped a red potion at her feet. "I don't know if you can pick up items, but you seem to have decreased your HP with that attack. Use the potion to recover your strength. I have plenty of them to use."

The potion vanished before my eyes as the Raccoon floated upward by a few feet, covered by an angelic white light as her wounds faded. A few seconds later, her eyes opened and her feet touched the ground once more. "What happened? I saw you get beaten up and then…nothing." She looked around the area, seeing the remnants of the grass slowly burn away into ashes.

"You probably got carried away. It happens to the best of us when in direct combat with other players. But I gotta admit that fire spell was unique, if not imperfect from one side. You say you don't know you are?" I said, keeping a blank look on my face to look concerned.

"Yea." She looked a bit pouty, her eyes filled with tears. "And what's worse is that everyone seems out to get me. I just don't get it."

"That's what happens in Maplestory: Everyone's fair game when Player Killing comes to play. But don't get discouraged when you do get defeated, as respawning is always available." I said, scratching my head. Obviously, this monster must be a human dressed as a Flaming Raccoon, but I haven't seen any new costumes in the Cash Shop that looks like her. Either that or she's a special NPC that programmers equipped with advanced AI to respond to other players and battle them.

"Thank you. But I don't want to be a burden on you. Maybe I should leave you so you can stay at peace." She murmured, her head low to hide her tears.

"No way, you're not a burden at all. In fact, I want to hire you as my bodyguard. Bodyguards are currently popular right now, and you're perfect for the job because of your skill and talents. In fact, I'll give you this amount just for now. A month's pay to be exact." A few stacks of dollar bills fell to the ground, which the Raccoon picked up and gasped.

"This is-"

"10,000 mesos. And there's more where that comes from." 'Specially with her around, I can now take on those annoying iron pigs and golems before the Dungeon area. Then I can get 10 times that amount in a day.' I thought, grinning ear-to-ear. "Along the way, we'll ask around for clues to your identity from guilds and such. We'll just say that you're wearing a festival costume prize from that Fairy Tale land, so that others wouldn't rampage on us. Sound good?"

"Sure!" Our hands met in a universal handshake, signifying our party had started. Little did we know that we were about to get involved in a event so large, it would change Maplestory as we know it.


End file.
